Ultra violet ray applicator



Aug. E?, w43. I Q H, FLOYD l 2,326,773

ULTRA VIOLET RAY APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1941 5 ULTRA v/oLU kms Patented ug. 17, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT J OFFICE l 2,326,713 l, l

ULTRA VIOLET RAY APPLICATOB Oscar H. Floyd, Chicago, lll. Application February 19, 1941, Serial No. 319,689

Thlsinvention relates to applicators for generating ultra violet rays such as are useful for medicinalpurposes. Such applicators generally comprise a tube having an evacuated atmosphere in which an electric discharge may be produced, the atmosphere within the tube being such as to produce ultra violet radiations.'

Tubes ofthe above mentioned type are generally made of quartz or other glass-like material which is transparent to ultra violet rays. In the applicators of the priory art the entire length of tube emits ultra violet radiations. In many instances only the ultra violet radiations from the tip of the applicator are used. The radiations from the rest of the tube constitute a potential source of danger to the operator and to the patient, in that they can burn the operator or the patient. A common corrective heretofore applied is to slip over the tube a iiexiblecover which is opaque to ultra violet radiations.` This method of protection is a nuisance at its best and is seldom completely sanitary. Furthermore, thereis always a layer of air, no matter how thin, between the cover and the applicator. 'I'his layer of air is subjected to `ultra violet radiations, with the resulting generation of ozone. In the case of an applicator that is to be inserted into the mouth, or into the nose, the ozone generation is exceedingly obnoxious. This is particularly true in View of thefact that all of the ozone, which is generated is generated right within or adjacent to the interior of the nose or mouth and therefore is particularly eective. In many patients it tends to produce gagging.

Another method of -preventing ultra 'violet burns from the portion of the applicator not being used is to paint those portions of the applicator where ultra violet radiations are not desired with paint that is opaque to the rays. After each use the applicator must be boiled to sterilize it. Such boiling will, in a short time, remove parts of the paint. Wherever the paint is removed the tube emits ultra violet rays. This soon becomes a major part of the originally painted surface. Furthermore, a very'slight removal of the paintl may not permit the escape of ultra violet radiations in an amount suilicient to burn the patient but in an amount which is suiiicient to cause the generation ofv enough Iozone in the mouth or nose to be highly obnoxious.

It is one of theobjects of the present invention to provide an applicator which can be inserted in'to an orice in the humanfbody and which will emit ultra violet rays only at the place where such emission is desired. As a result I eliminate 1 cuna. g (ci. iis-1) not only the possibility ofultra violet ray burning of the patient or of the physician but also elimto ultra violet rays and inate the generation of ozone, a feature which isl of considerable importance with applicators intended for use in the mouth or nose'.

one embodiment of the present invention this result is obtained by making only a part of the applicator of material which istransparent the rest of the applicator of material which is opaque to ultraviolet rays. Both of the materials are, preferably. of glasslike appearance, that is, transparent to ordinaryv visible light. Both ofthe materials are fused together to form one continuous tube. When the ultra violet ray transparent portion of the tube is quartz and the rest of the tube is glass which is opaque to ultra violet rays, it is desirable to use a graded seal between the quartz portion and the rest of the seal. Such applicator may be subjected to repeated boiling, for sterilization, with` dout in any way adversely affecting the applicator.

Itis a further object of the present invention tofprovide an applicator which is entirely devoid of electrodes and'devoid of connections which must extend through the tube wall. 'I'his permits a simple manufacture of a quartz applicator. In the manufacture of quartz applicators heretofore considerable diiiiculty was encountered in making a seal between the quartz and the-con.-

ducting wire that extends through the tube to the` electrode within the tube. These diiiiculties are eliminated, in accordance with the present invention', by' eliminating the electrodes entirely.

It is a s till further object of the present invention to provide an applicator of the type which includes electrodes and includes a quartz body and yet the electrode conductors do not extend through the quartz. In this embodiment of the present invention the electrodes are preferably mounted in a very 'short tube of glass-like material which is opaque to ultra violet light and which is open at one end and closed at theother. The conductor to the electrode extends through the closed end of the short tube. A graded fused seal is provided between the short glass tube that contains the electrode and the quartz tube.

I have found that in a tube which is operated by radio frequency waves applied from outside the tube the exciter portion of the tube should be of larger diameter than that used in the rest of the tube. I have found that the ratio of the diameter of the orificial part of the tube to the exciter part of the tube should preferably be in the ratio of less than one to two, that is. in a tube wherein the oriflcial part is of an outside diamla part thereof.

In the drawing: `Figure l shows a transverse section through an applicator holder with an applicator of the present invention inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the applicator of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a modified form of applicator; and e Figures 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections illustrating still other modifications of the present invention.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure l. The applicator of the present invention, illustrated at I, is in the form of a tube which includes an orifice portion 2 and an exciter portion 3 constituting one continuous tube sealed and evacuated and containing an atmosphere of the type which, when subjected to radio frequency electromagnetic Waves, will produce a glow or arc emanating ultra violet rays. A suitable atmosphere for the inside of the tube is a gas such as argon, neon, krypton, xenon, or a mixture of two or more ofv the same, plus a small globule of mercury. 'Ihe entire tube is of a circular cross section having a smooth exterior surface.

A source of concentrated radio frequency electromagnetic Waves, referred to as a burner, is yindicated at 5. The burner 5 is circular in cross section to facilitate holding of the same in the hand, and includes a casing 6 having anelectric coil 1 mounted therein, which coil is `fwound .on tubular non-magnetic form 8. 'I'he form 8 is open at both ends and vhas a non-metallic ring 9 atone end and a similar ring I0 adjacent the other end. The coil 'I may be connected to a source of alternating current of radio frequencies such as a frequency of the order of 10 million to 150 million cycles per second, a frequency .of the order of- 100 million cycles per second being the preferred frequency. The exvciter 3 of the applicator I is adapted .to be removably inserted into the rings 9--I0 which frictionally engage the applicator. A spring I2 in the form 8 is expanded by the exciter 3 and exerts a yielding pressure against the same to hold it snugly but removably in place. The high Y frequency electromagnetic waves produced by the which is transparent to ultra violet yrays such` as. for instance, of quartz. It is to be noted that the interior of the applicator contains no electrodes and that there are no wire connections that must extend through the wall of the'appli This is of particular importance in the i cator. case of a quartz applicator, since it eliminates the difficult operations of making a vacuum tight asaey'zs lseal between the quartz and the conducting wire that must extend therethrough.

The orifice portion 2 of the applicator may be inserted into an orifice in the human body for therapeutic treatment. Where this is the prime purpose of the applicator the tip portion I5 is the partthat is most effective in the treatment. Ultra violet rays from the remaining part may a graded seal.

be not only ineffective but objectionable, when the applicator is put to such use. It' may be objectionable because the ultra violet radiations may cause burns in adjacent tissues in the patients mouth or nose and also because the ultra violet radiations produce ozone which, t0 many people, is highly obnoxious. When this is the case only the tip portion- I5 is made of quartz. The remaining part of the tube is made of glass or glass-like material which isopaque to ultra violet rays. The quartz portion is joined to the rest of the tube by a seal I6 which is preferably This seal is fused to the quartz at II'and is fused to the rest of the applicator at I8. The fusion is` preferablyy mutual fusion of the sealing materialy with the adjacent part of the applicator at I'I or I8 as the case may be. The seal I6 comprises one ora -series. of different glasses so that the portion of the `seal adjacent to I'I has a temperature coefllcient of expansion and contraction close to that of the quartz and the `portion of the seal adjacent to I8 has a temperature coeilicient of expansion and contraction similar to that of the adjacent glass: .While the seal I6 has been illustrated in Figure 2 as being clearly visible, this is not the case in the actual construction, since the sealing glass as Well as the quartzand the rest -of the applicator is transparent to visible light and the unions at I1 and I8 are by fusion which renders the seal I6, quartz part I5 and the remaining glass part one integral unitary structure. The seal may be located anywhere` along the orifice portion 2 so that the quartz part I5 of the applicator'occupies a greater or lesser part of the total length of the oriilce portion 2.

I have found that for optimum results-there is a definite relationship between the diameter of the exciter portion 3 and the diameter of the orice portion 2. The optimum resultswere obtained when the exciter portion was of an outside diameter of approximately 13 mm. and the orice portion 2 was of an outside diameter of approximately 4 mm. to 7 mm. The thickness of the applicator Wall was of the order of or slightly less than 1 mm. The orifice portion- 2 is of approximately the same length as that of the exciter portion 3 and is joined to the'portion 3 bya smooth gradual taper freeof sharp corners.

In Figure 3 .I have shown a construction similar to that of Figure 2 except that the tip portion I5 is at an angle to the rest of the orifice portion 2, The graded seal is located at `the place indicated in Figure 3, the tip portion I5 being of quartz and the rest of the tube being of material opaque to ultra violet rays. This applicator is particularly useful for treatment of the back of the mouth, and the throat.

The applicator I constitutes a sealed unit free of any cementitious joints and may therefore be sterilized by boiling without any damage to the applicator. This is not true where a cementitious joint is used, since cementitious joints are likely to develop leaks when subjected to repeated boilings. The elimination of a lead-in Wire extending through the wall of the applicator serves further to reduce the possibility of developing leaks in the applicator when thesame is subjected to repeated boilings. Even the slightest leak in the applicator will destroy the high vacuum therein and render the applicator useless.

In treating diseased female tissues it is diillcult to use an applicator as small as the applicator I. It is customary to use a spreading device for spreading and smoothing out the tissue walls. This is illustratedn. Figure 4. The applicator of Figure 4 comprises a continuous U-shaped tube to the distal end 2l of which is of quartz or other material transparent to ultra violet rays and the rest of which is of material opaque to ultra violet rays, such as ordinary glass, the

quartz part being joined to the glass by graded seals I8. Since the arms 23 of the U-shaped portion of the applicator are of ordinary glass it is possible to mount the usual electrodes 24 therein to which a high voltage may be applied by conductors 25 to produce a glow through the tube,

the conductors 25 being' sealed in the glass, and

the glass tube being evacuated and containing an atmosphere similar to that of the applicator l. Since only the tip portion 2l is transparent to ultra violet rays only that part will be effective in the treatment and therefore there is no danger of burning the adjacent body tissues. The en- X tire applicator is mounted in any desired manner in a tube 28 of material transparent to ultra violet rays, such as quartz, which tube 28 has a handle 29 secured thereto in any desired manner. Since the tube 28 is not evacuated' it is not necessary to have a sealing joint between it and the handle 29.

In Figure 5 the principles of the present invention are shown applied to an applicator in many ways similar to a standard applicator now on the market. This applicator is ingeneral of a construction such as is shown and described in the United States patent to Bristow, No. 2,123,709, of July 12, 1938, and comprises a tube divided into two communicating circular chambers by a partition 36, the tube wall and the partition be#- ing both of material transparent to ultra violet y rays such as quartz. This applicator diners from the one described in the above mentioned patent in that each of the two chambers are spread apart at one end, as indicated by a graded seal I 6 to a tubular member 40 which is closed at 4| and has an electrode 24 therein.

By providing the seal at I8 I overcome the dimculties otherwise inherent in making a tight seal between the lead-in conductor 25 and the surrounding glass wall.

In the present description where I speak of v material transparent to ultra violet rays, quartz is the preferred material, but quartz is not the only such material. There are known glasses which have considerable transparency to ultra violet rays and which may be used in lieu 0f the quartz. A graded seal between the ultra violet transparent glass and the ultra violet opaque glass is used when the two glasses are of consid@ erably different temperature coefficients of expansion. Where the dierence is not great it is not necessary to provide a graded seal, since the two glass parts may be fused directly together.

The term glass is herein used in its broadest sense to include any type of material which is glass-like in appearance and is transparent to ordinary visible light.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however,to be understood that the invention is not liimted to the precise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An ultra-violet ray apparatus comprising a tubular handle portion open at at least one end for receiving an applicator, a high frequency coil within the handle and extending axially thereof, a non-metallic applicator holding ring se'- cured within the coil with its axis coincident with that of the coil, a sealed applicator tube one end of which is removably inserted through the open end of the handle portion and is held in the handle portion by frictional engagement with said at 31 and 38, and joined non-magnetic 4ring, said tube having a, rarefled atmosphere` adapted to be excited by high frequency electromagnetic waves to produce ultra violet rays, the portion of the applicator within the handle being of glass-like material which is opaque to ultra violet rays whereby none of the rays are emitted within the handle portion, the outside tip of the applicator tube being of material transparent toiultra violet rays and being joined to the rest of the tube by mutual fusion.

OSCAR H. FLOYD. 

